The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-04-04
THE-WESTON ASYLUM.
TIE REPORT OF THE p1REorons
on tho Findlngs Of tho Legislative Investi.
eating Committss-Thsy whitewa,h
Bland aud Assert TINT the Com.
mittoe was n Prsjudiced One,


W s&s1 - PAtA A4-ku lu6ll
report to the Governor, under date March
70 1887, the Directors Of the Hospital iol
the Insane jump into the report Of the
special committee appointed by the Legis.
lature to investigate the hospital. The
Directors say: -
"The report seemed not only 10 be a
report confined to the duties presc,ibsd
by said resolution, but the substance Of Il
aeema to relate 10 matters not committed
to them. but volunteers statementa And
recommendations foreign to the prescribed
objscts and duties committed to them.
such being the purpose OF their mission
their session here occasioned no consider.
alton OF the Board and therefore M
thought was entertained that they would
take up and consider matters outsids OF
the inquiry 30 prescribed by the order OF
The Legislature, and therefore those con.
nected with the management OF said in.
atitution were not advised that the mat.
tera chiefly involved by their said report
would be the subject OF Investigation.
1has committee proceeded, chiefly in
tne investigation OF these matters rapidly
and IN haste, without uotics before com.
menclng their investigation and without
time or opportunity to repsl the implicat.
Ing testimony, which the committee in
haste took and upon which they acted,
grayely to consider, and upon which to
found report which reflects upon otlicera
connected with this institution, And
upon this duplicating testimony. which
We have carefully read and which IL now
before us, we DO not hesitate TO saw in the
main and III all its material parts the said
report Of the said committee is unwar.
ranted and unfounded.
1t ls not Tor US 10 conjecture motive or
to suppress the blindness OF possible nre.
judice, or unknown inspirations occasion.
ing the conclusion Of the Committee, vet
We deem 1t our duty to characterize 1t as
unwarranted in conclusions.
wlIIaHY AND BEEF.
Tho Directors admit that IN unma,r;ed
woman gave birth to a child, but say that
the oilices were not to blame for it. They
admit that some Of the products OF the
farm have been given to the local Direct.
ors and some work done for the two
sons Of the Superintendent living In the
town, and they add, ''paltry indeed is 1t
to parade this matter in manner to occa-
sion an inference that there is involved in
It matter Of value or Importance.
: No possible exigency Of purpose or mo-
tive can justify this pa!tty parade" 1t
is denied that the Hospital omnibus hiss
been used to convey persons to political
Conventions" the omnibus having been
used but once to convey employees to g
convention eight or ten miles distant. no
other conveyance being obtainable. The
Directors say that but five gallons OF
whisky were unaccounted for, and they
make this point on the visiting special
committee: "From the very frequent in.
diligence in the Use OF the Hospital yhis.
~ during the brief and hurried visit OF
this investigating committee, which is
juralsd to US, we hazard nothing in say.
ing that the supply will be more surely
preserved should some OF them continue
TO occupy more distant relation 10 the
institution"
1t is alleged in said report that the in.
spec.or Of beef at the Hospital has been in
the habit OF receiving presents OF beef for
the use Of his family from the contractors
who aupply tho same. The existence Of
this fact was unknown TO the Superinten-
dent, and the Superintendent has forbid.
den it's continuance eince it has come to
bis knowledge. We are satisfied the in.
stitu,ion has suffered nothing by it. IIis
inspections, We are saiiH6ed, have been
rigid and under it the quality OF the beef
has been improved.
PLENTY OF E1EcurIvE ABILITY.
In respect to the charge Of want Of e1.
ecutive ability founded as stated in the
Judgment Of the committee" we have
this to say: that results which involve
always in matters Of this kind, and which
must show, either the possession or ab.
sence Of executive ability, or some meas.
ure or degree Of executive ability, is the
safer teat Of its existence in the Superin-
tendent.
Corjectnres or opinions often proceed.
ing from prejudice OF rival interests arc
not safe tests.
Partisan press make unfounded COM
plants, come have been founded on mere
fiction, others on perversion al facts, yet
success in management is refutation OF
them.
In the management OF 700 insane per-
sons, numerous attendants, employees and
others, to prevent como irregularities OF
action ia impossible, and correctives can
only be applied, which haye been.
,ruy WORK OF 1MrugEMlHDgD PEOPLE.
In respect to the second charge above,
1t ia TO be observed the committee say in
their report "without charging DR.. Bland
with impure motives" yet from the man.
uer oil stating the matters OF the second
charge IN inference OF "impure motive
exists.
1t is always questionable when fact is
stated as such, ur when i. ia stated 80 In
cautiously, from motive or otherwise, that
II II ia not known 10 be true as stated or to
be inferred; it is as bad as the moral test.
to state that as true which is not known 10
be true, 81 1t IL to state that M true which
iB known to DO false.
1t is known To this Board, and to all
connected with this Institution, that DR..
Bland has displayed during hiH whole ad-
ministrasion the gyeateat degree 81 kind
ness, forbearanCs and the employment Of
all reasonable means to acqulrs such in.
nuencs as would enable him to control
the patien.s. This has no doubt occa-
aioued tho "commen." referred TO in the
report Of the Committee Of the vicious
mindpd people, exaggerated and intensi-
fed, no doubt, by impure.minded people.
ATTACHING wIrNEaa.
Referring 10 'Dr. Bands visits to a
female patient In her room at night, and
the testimony OF a female attendant, the
Directors say:
1t is unnecessary in respect 10 thin Wit.
moss to apaIgn, as, we conld do. . motive.